Escudero visits Binay after LP event

Sen. Francis Escudero and Vice President Jejomar Binay. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Re-electionist Sen. Francis Escudero paid a visit to United Nationalist Alliance leader Vice President Jejomar Binay a day after attending the Liberal Party coalition’s proclamation event.

“Am at VP Binay’s house to personally thank him & UNA for also adopting me and including me in their slate. Maraming salamat po,” went Escudero’s post on Twitter on Tuesday morning.

Escudero and Binay are long-time allies as they were together in the presidential campaign of the late Fernando Poe, Jr. in 2004.

Escudero in 2010 supported Binay’s successful vice presidential bid while backing then Senator Benigno Aquino III’s similarly successful presidential campaign.

Escudero, fellow re-electionist Sen. Loren Legarda and MTRCB chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares appear to be the objects of a tug-of-war between the LP and the UNA as common bets of the two coalitions.

The UNA first announced the inclusion of the three candidates on its slate but they opted to attend the LP’s proclamation led by President Aquino on Monday instead of UNA’s filing of certificates of candidacies also on Monday.

Sen. Franklin Drilon, LP campaign manager, said the common candidates may also be on the UNA slate but should not be on the UNA’s stage during its rallies.

Binay has said that what the common candidates do with the LP they should also do with UNA.